London: Nirav Modi, the fugitive Indian diamond merchant at the center of the ₹17,600 crore ($2 billion) Punjab National Bank fraud case, has told a London court that “sensational developments” are expected as his extradition battle enters a new phase. The remarks came during a separate civil trial over unpaid debts to the Bank of India, offering a rare glimpse into his life behind bars — and his fight to delay both financial and criminal proceedings.
A Prisoner’s Plea in a London Courtroom
In a small courtroom at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Nirav Modi appeared before Judge Simon Tinkler on October 17, 2025. Dressed in worn prison clothes and clutching pages of handwritten notes, the 54-year-old jeweler defended himself “as a litigant in person,” challenging the Bank of India’s ₹70 crore ($8 million) claim against him.
Modi’s voice, described by observers as unsteady but insistent, filled the chamber as he complained of poor eyesight, lack of computer access, and the impossibility of preparing a defense while confined in custody.
“Spend one day in prison,” Nirav said at one point, visibly frustrated. “There needs to be some basic common sense.”
The judge acknowledged Modi’s health concerns but ruled that the trial — already delayed for years — must proceed as scheduled in January 2026. A request for a stay, citing technical and medical difficulties in jail, was denied.
FCRF Launches CCLP Program to Train India’s Next Generation of Cyber Law Practitioners
The Long Shadow of the PNB Fraud
Behind the courtroom exchanges lies one of India’s largest financial scandals. Since his arrest in London in 2019, Modi has fought extradition to face three sets of criminal cases in India — one filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation for bank fraud, another by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged money laundering, and a third relating to witness tampering.
In 2021, then–U.K. home secretary Priti Patel approved his extradition after finding a prima facie case. Yet, years later, Modi remains in a British cell. His legal team has persistently sought new grounds for appeal, citing both mental health and human rights considerations.
Now, as the U.K.’s Crown Prosecution Service confirms that Modi’s latest application to reopen his extradition appeal has been accepted, the fugitive diamantaire appears reinvigorated.
“I’m still here,” Nirav told the court. “There will be some sensational developments.”
A Prisoner’s Defense and a Bank’s Doubt
During the hearing, lawyers representing the Bank of India — barristers Tom Beasley and Milan Kapadia — pressed for resolution, arguing that further delays would be “unfair” and risk deferring repayment indefinitely. They remain skeptical, Beasley said, of Modi’s “claimed lack of funds.”
Modi, however, portrayed himself as a victim of procedural imbalance. He claimed that lengthy delays in securing access to a computer and the strain of deteriorating eyesight made it impossible to properly respond to the bank’s filings. “This is an adversarial process,” Nirav said, accusing the bank of making assumptions about his finances while he remained “locked away without resources.”
The judge, while acknowledging Modi’s difficulties, sided with the bank, stating that preserving the court’s timetable outweighed other considerations. “All efforts to ensure equality of arms in this case have been made,” Justice Tinkler ruled.
Between Two Legal Fronts
As the January 2026 trial looms, Modi’s dual battles — civil and criminal — continue to intersect. The civil case threatens his remaining personal assets, while the extradition appeal could determine whether he will ever return to India.
The court has directed prison authorities to provide Modi with a computer and transfer all relevant paperwork to him. Meanwhile, he remains lodged in HMP Pentonville, though he has requested a return to HMP Thameside in south London, where he was earlier housed.
